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Browse Old Austin Grouch posts about price hikes, Austin nostalgia, and the city habits locals still argue about.
Use this topic hub to explore satire, memories, and cultural commentary about price hikes in Austin, Texas.
The chorizo-and-egg taco at the old La Tapatia off Manor Road ran $2.75, came wrapped in foil with actual grease spots, and arrived with zero questions about your moral alignment; the reinvented space now calls itself Mesa Sagrada, charges $13.50 for two "heritage breed" tacos on heirloom corn, and opens the interaction by asking if your protein has been grass-finished in a trauma-informed way.
6 min read
Stood behind a woman in $180 sneakers praising the "authentic neighborhood vibe" of the remodeled H-E-B at South Lamar and Barton Springs while the $4.29 single tamale and mandatory app coupon danced in my head; what used to be a $28 grocery run with actual butchers who knew your order is now a temple of exposed ductwork where the beer cooler requires facial recognition and the parking lot no longer tolerates the guy selling bootleg CDs out of his trunk.
6 min read
The cashier at Tamale House on Airport Boulevard used to greet half the room by name, slide your change across the counter with a wink, and already know you wanted extra green sauce; yesterday the new system asked for my phone number, suggested a 22% tip on a $17.25 plate, and the only person who made eye contact was the guy refilling the horchata dispenser.
6 min read